April 18 , 2005
For Immediate Release
For more information:
Megan Laurie
(801) 863-7149
UVSC Student Achieves Aviation Dream
Derrick Poole, recipient of an AeroScholars Scholarship and student of Utah Valley State College, has flown from Atlanta, Ga. to Lakeland, Fla. for one of the world's largest air shows and aviation conventions, Sun n' Fun, held April 12-18.
Accompanied by Dustin Berlin, adjunct instructor, Poole was able to stop at a number of airports visiting with students and flight schools involved in the global aviation program demonstrating UVSC's new Diamond Star aircraft fully equipped with an all glass cockpit.
Fascinated with aviation after seeing a helicopter on display at a summer camp when he was eight years old, Poole knew he wanted to fly someday. With the challenges of coming from an extremely low-income, single-parent home, through the help of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), local chapters 268 and 690 and his high school aviation teacher, Poole was able to begin his dream of flight.
"Aviation is an achievable dream, the magic of flight is alive and well," said Dr. Ron Smart, director of the aviation program at UVSC.
The UVSC global aviation program developed the AeroScholars program in partnership with the EAA. The global aviation program has been a premier program since 1999. Through this partnership with EAA, UVSC has gained national and international attention, attracting more than 1,000 students nationwide to study aviation science online through UVSC. In addition to the AeroScholars program, college students are able to earn two- or four-year college degrees online through UVSC while completing their flight training at local airports.
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